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Keyport offers a sneak peek at their new OmniFob

If you’ve been reading our EDC gear reviews for a while, you’ll know that I am a fan of Keyport gear. I recently reviewed their modular Anywhere Tools system which is worth a read if you like keychain tools. But today I want to tell you about a new product that Keyport is rolling out this year. It’s the OmniFob and it looks pretty awesome from what little details are currently available.

The OmniFob is an IoT (Internet of Things) remote for your smart home and your connected car. It appears to be compatible with their latest Keyport Slide and Anywhere Tool system but time will tell on that.

The OmniFob will let you control things like your garage door, smart logs, smart lights, remote start your car, pop the trunk, and it has a built-in BLE locator powered by Chipolo.

You can check for more teaser pics by visiting their blog and social pages:

Pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet, but you can enter your name on their omnifob.com page to be notified when more info is available.

 

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Keyport offers a sneak peek at their new OmniFob originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 1:44 pm.

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Recovery Toolbox for Project: A Powerful Project Recovery Tool

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by Recovery Toolbox. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored. If your daily schedule revolves around tasks and project management, you probably have heard or used Microsoft Project, the world’s most popular project management software developed and sold by Microsoft. This program is designed to assist project managers in developing schedules, assigning resources to tasks, analyzing workloads, tracking progress, and managing the budget. While Microsoft Project excels at organizing work and people to make sure projects are completed on time, *.MPP… Read more

AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver review


REVIEW – Bluetooth connectivity has been around long enough now that I have been spoiled by it and simply refuse to consider portable audio devices that do not include this feature and I even look for it as an included feature in some non-portable components. None of the televisions in my home have built-in Bluetooth, but I figure that it would be great to use my Bluetooth headphones and watch TV in the living room while being able to ignore the kids as they engage in activities that I am now convinced are designed to blow my eardrums and make my head spin!! LOL!! The Aukey Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver seems like it could be the answer for me and finally an opportunity to score one win in the dad vs kids duel.

What is it?

The AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver provides dual-mode connectivity for devices lacking built-in Bluetooth. It offers a connectivity range of up to 50m/164’, and it features the aptX Low Latency codec to ensure high-quality wireless sound and synchronized audio and video for gaming and watching movies. It also features a touch control display to control functions and to display the connection status and audio codec used. There are also two slide switches on one side to select the operational mode and function.

What’s in the box


1 x AUKEY BR-O8 2-in-1 Wireless Transmitter and Receiver
1 x Micro-USB Cable
1 x 3.5mm Audio Cable
1 x 3.5mm to RCA Audio Cable
1 x Toslink Optical Cable
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Specifications

Model Number: BR-O8
Technology: BT 5, aptX, aptX-LL
Frequency Range: 2.402GHz – 2.480GHz
Input: DC 5V
Operating Range: Up to 50m / 164ft
Dimensions: 113 x 110 x 73mm / 4.45” x 4.33” x 2.87”
Weight: 300g / 10.58oz

Features

Bluetooth 5 Technology:
The latest Bluetooth 5 greatly increases the connection range (up to 50m/164ft). Higher bandwidth enables faster pairing and better audio quality for compatible devices.
Low Latency Audio:
aptX Low Latency codec avoids sound sync issues when watching movies or playing games.
Dual-Device Connection:
Simultaneously connect two pairs of Bluetooth headphones. Share your favorite TV series or play a game with a friend or a family member.
Transmitter Mode:
Wirelessly broadcast audio from your non-Bluetooth TV or computer to your Bluetooth headphones, headset or speakers.
Receiver Mode:
Wirelessly broadcast audio from your smartphone to your non-Bluetooth speaker or home stereo system.
Bypass Mode:
Switch to a pure cable connection between two adjacent or non-Bluetooth devices without unplugging from the BR-O8.

On the back of this device, there are 2 slide switches. the top one allows you to power on in Bluetooth mode or in Bypass mode. The second switches the device to either Transmit or Receive mode.

At the bottom of the device, there are the connectivity ports that include a DC in power port, an RX Output 3.5mm port, a TX Input 3.5mm port and one Optical port each for Transmit and Receive connections.
The illustrations below show the functionality, connectivity, and operational options.

Performance

This Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver is very easy to use. Right out of the box it is plug-n-play ready. Pairing with one or two devices is quite easy and I did not experience any issues using it in either Transmitter or Receiver mode. The diagram below lists the indicators and the meaning of each.

Connecting using Bluetooth is very simple and the instructions are clear and accurate. The touch screen at the top of the device displays the mode of operation (TX/RX), the type of connection and the audio mode. The circular button shown on the bottom right of the touch screen is the selector button that you use to switch connection types. For example Aux or Opt. The “A” shown indicates that one Bluetooth device is connected. In this case, it was headphones.


The photo below shows “A” and “B” indicating that I had 2 Bluetooth devices connected. In this case, it was headphones and earbuds. Oddly enough I forgot to change the connectivity selection to Aux, but it still worked in OPT mode with the auxiliary cable as the connection.

As shown in the picture below, the status indicator is white when it is in RX mode as opposed to green when it is in TX mode. The “A” indicates that I had one device connected which in this case was wired earphones, and I used the device in Receive mode to listen to music from my cell phone.


The following information confirms what you see in the pictures above with the indicator as green in Transmit mode and white in Receive mode. It also explains the visual indicators.

While testing this device, I became obsessed with trying to make it completely portable and I connected it to my USB power bank. It worked, but it seemed to draw too little power to be continuously recognized by the power bank and so the after less than a minute the power bank would turn off.

For additional information, you can read the manual by clicking here.

What I like

  • It is lightweight but not fragile
  • It is both a Transmitter and a Receiver
  • It can connect to two accessories simultaneously
  • The ease of pairing

What can be improved

  • The addition of a built-in battery so it is a stand-alone portable device
  • The touch control top is a fingerprint magnet

Final thoughts

This Aukey Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver is a handy, compact and lightweight device that functions very well for what it is designed to do. I have no complaints except that since it is so lightweight, I can think of some scenarios I could use it for if it had a long-lasting built-in battery. Since it seems to need very little power, I would think that the addition of a battery would be doable even if it adds a bit of weight. Regardless, I am giving this device a two thumbs up and a well done!!

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Aukey.

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AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 11:30 am.

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How to Use cURL Command in Linux

No matter what you use your computer for, there has probably been at least one occasion where you needed to download something, and opening a browser felt like overkill. This would be a great use case for cURL. As the name suggests, cURL is a command-line tool for transferring data with URLs. One of the simplest uses is to download a file via the command line. This is deceptive, however, as cURL is an incredibly powerful tool depending on how you use it. Even if you’re somewhat familiar with the command, you probably aren’t using it to its full potential. Basic cURL Functionality One of… Read more

Opté Precision Skincare System: Use technology to precisely cover up your blemishes

NEWS – Proctor & Gamble has come out with a cool device called the Opté Precision Skincare System. It’s a wand that scans your face with a tiny digital camera at 150 images per second and uses blue LED lights to enhance the contrast in your skin. It detects “age and sun spots, redness and discoloration, blemishes, scars, and spider veins” (Opté website). It then applies the precise amount of serum needed to cover only those blemishes using “120 thermal inkjet nozzles inside the wand that deposit 1,000 picoliter droplets (that’s one billionth of a liter)” (CNET) so that your skin looks flawless.

The Opté Precision Skincare device uses their special Optimizing Serum which will reduce the appearance of age and sun spots over time – usually 8 to 12 weeks. The serum contains things like mineral pigments and niacinamide (Vitamin B3) (Opté website). Opté treats only the blemishes on your skin thus using much less product than you would normally and it’s not a laser so it is gentle on your skin as well.

The Opté Precision Skincare System is not cheap and is only available at the Opté website. The starter kit is $599 (includes the Beauty Wand, 2 Wand Tips, Cradle, Power Cord, Optimizing Serum, Preserving Disk) and the serum refills are $149 (includes Optimizing Serum and Preserving Disk). Whew, beauty is not cheap!

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Opté Precision Skincare System: Use technology to precisely cover up your blemishes originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 10:24 am.

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